KR101188765B1 - Seamless broadcasting service system and method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method for broadcasting a preview service, wherein the method according to the present invention receives broadcast content viewing information including a stop point of viewing of broadcast content from a first user terminal, the same as that of the first user terminal. And receiving a resume request for the broadcast content from a second user terminal connected with a user ID, and transmitting the broadcast content to the second user terminal from the time when the viewing stops. According to the present invention, the broadcast content that the user is watching can be freely watched from another user terminal from the point of time when the previous user terminal stops watching.

Description

Broadcasting service system and method {SEAMLESS BROADCASTING SERVICE SYSTEM AND METHOD}

The present invention relates to a broadcast service system and method, and more particularly, to a broadcast retrieval service system and a method in which a user can freely connect broadcast content to a terminal currently used from a point in time at which viewing of a previous terminal stops at various types of terminals. It is about.

Recently, various broadcasting contents such as terrestrial broadcasting, cable broadcasting or internet broadcasting have been provided to users. In general, broadcast content is viewed on a television. Terrestrial broadcasting uses a terrestrial broadcasting signal transmitted through the air through an antenna, and in the case of cable broadcasting, a broadcasting signal transmitted through a cable network is received through a set-top box. It is used by. Some users may subscribe to a cable broadcast service to receive and watch terrestrial broadcast signals through a cable network. On the other hand, some viewers watch contents such as terrestrial broadcasting, cable broadcasting or internet broadcasting through the Internet. In this case, users should find and access a website operated by a broadcasting station that provides the contents.

As described above, in the conventional broadcast content viewing method, the user has the following inconvenience. First, when using a television, there is a problem that viewing is possible only in a home with a television, and when using the DMB broadcasting, it can be viewed from the outside, but there is a limitation that the number of contents that can be watched is still limited. In the case of watching a broadcast using the conventional Internet, there is a hassle of finding and accessing a corresponding web site provided with desired broadcast content every time.

Meanwhile, the number of users who have various types of broadcast content receiving devices such as televisions, smartphones, and PCs together is gradually increasing. However, a user may watch a broadcast content on a television in a living room and suddenly go out or move to another room. In this case, however, if the user tries to continue to watch the broadcast content using another broadcast receiving device, for example, a smartphone or a PC, there is a problem in that the broadcast content is not immediately viewed immediately after the television stops watching.

In particular, the real-time broadcast content is inconvenient to wait for the re-broadcast time or wait until it is provided as VoD content in order to see the part that has already passed. Also, in case of VoD content, the user has to find the point of interruption through the quick view function in order to see from the point of interruption, which is also cumbersome for the user.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in an effort to provide a broadcast service system and a method for freely connecting real-time broadcast content or VoD content previously viewed between various types of user terminals from a point of time at which viewing was interrupted.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for broadcasting a broadcast service according to an embodiment of the present invention, the method comprising: receiving broadcast content viewing information including a viewing stop point of broadcast content from a first user terminal; And receiving a resume request of the broadcast content from a second user terminal connected with the same user ID as the user ID, and transmitting the broadcast content to the second user terminal from the time when the viewing stops.

The broadcast content viewing information may further include a user ID and a broadcast content ID.

The first user terminal may receive the broadcast content as a real time broadcast content from a streaming server, and the second user terminal may receive the broadcast content from a VOD server.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of broadcasting a preview service, by transmitting broadcast content to a first user terminal and playing the same, while the broadcast content is transmitted to the first user terminal, the same user as the first user terminal. Connecting the second user terminal with an ID, and transmitting the broadcast content to the second user terminal for playback.

The method may further include stopping broadcasting content transmission to the first user terminal.

The transmission of the broadcast content to the first user terminal may be stopped a predetermined time later than the start time of the broadcast content transmission to the second user terminal.

A computer-readable medium according to an embodiment of the present invention records a program for causing a computer to execute any one of the above methods.

The broadcast replay service system according to an embodiment of the present invention receives a broadcast content viewing information including a stop point of viewing of broadcast content from a first user terminal, and accesses the same user ID as that of the first user terminal. The web server receives the request for resuming the broadcast content from the user terminal, and receives the information on the stop time of the broadcast content and the information about the second user terminal from the web server to send the broadcast content to the second user terminal. And a headend unit for transmitting to the second user terminal from the time point at which the viewing stops.

According to the present invention, it is possible to freely watch the broadcast content that the user is watching from another user terminal from the point of time when the previous user terminal stops watching. In addition, users can conveniently view various broadcasting contents such as terrestrial broadcasting, cable broadcasting or internet broadcasting by connecting to a single web site regardless of place. In addition, regardless of the storage capacity of the user terminal it is possible to provide a service applying the time-shift to the broadcast content in real time broadcasting. In addition, broadcast programming information for a plurality of channels can be intuitively checked and used on one screen.

1 is a block diagram of a web-based broadcast service system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the head end of FIG. 1 in more detail.
3 is a block diagram illustrating in more detail the web / back end of FIG. 1.
4 is a flowchart provided to explain a method of a subsequent broadcast service according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a flowchart provided to explain a method of a subsequent broadcast service according to another embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a flowchart provided to explain a web-based broadcast service method according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a diagram illustrating a screen including broadcast programming information for a web-based broadcast service according to an embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a diagram illustrating a screen including broadcast programming information for a web-based broadcast service according to another embodiment of the present invention.
9 is a diagram illustrating a screen including broadcast programming information for a web-based broadcast service according to another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art may easily implement the present invention.

1 is a block diagram of a web-based broadcast service system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the web-based broadcast service system 100 according to the present invention may include a head end unit 110 and a web / back end unit 120, and include a plurality of user terminals through the communication network 300 ( 400 can exchange various information and data. In addition, the web-based broadcast service system 100 may be managed by the system administrator through the manager terminal 500.

The headend 110 receives a real time broadcast content or a VoD broadcast content from the broadcast content provider 200 and performs a function of streaming the broadcast content selected by the user to the user terminal 400 through the communication network 300. Here, the real-time broadcast content refers to a broadcast program that is serviced in real time in terrestrial broadcast or cable broadcast, that is, a live broadcast program, and is provided to the user terminal 400 through a real-time broadcast channel. The VoD broadcast content includes all broadcast content in addition to the real-time broadcast program. For example, the VoD broadcasting content may include dramas, music, documentaries, movies, entertainment, entertainment content, and the like, which have already been broadcast in terrestrial broadcasting or cable broadcasting. The VoD broadcast content may be stored in the form of a file and streamed in a VoD method according to a user's request, or provided to the user terminal 400 through a VoD broadcast channel. Hereinafter, the broadcast content may be interpreted to include both real-time broadcast content and VoD broadcast content.

In particular, the headend unit 110 according to the present invention, when the user requests to continue watching in the new user terminal for the broadcast content that was previously interrupted in the middle of the other user terminal, the corresponding broadcast from the time when the viewing stops in the previous user terminal The content can be streamed to a new user terminal. In addition, when a user accesses the web-based broadcast service system 100 as a new user terminal while watching broadcast content from another user terminal, the user may view the broadcast content immediately by transmitting it to the new user terminal.

The web / back end unit 120 provides broadcast programming information to the user to select broadcast contents that the user wants to watch, and performs functions such as member management, billing management, and broadcast schedule management.

In particular, when the web / back end unit 120 according to the present invention stores the broadcast content viewing information of the user and then requests the viewing, the web / back end unit 120 transmits the information on the stopping point of the broadcast content to the headend unit 110 to stop viewing. From the user terminal 400 to support the corresponding broadcast content can be transmitted. To this end, the web / back end unit 120 may store broadcasting content viewing information for each user including a user ID, a broadcasting content ID, and a viewing stop time.

On the other hand, the web / back end unit 120 is connected to the web-based broadcast service system 100 as a new user terminal when a user who is watching broadcast content from another user terminal, the head-end unit 110 with information about the new user terminal; The headend unit 110 may transmit the information on the broadcast content being watched to transmit the broadcast content being watched by the user to the new user terminal.

The broadcast content provider 200 provides various real time broadcast contents to a terrestrial broadcaster, a cable broadcaster, or another broadcast content provider. Here, the real-time broadcast content refers to a broadcast program that is serviced in real time in terrestrial broadcast or cable broadcast, that is, a live broadcast program.

The communication network 300 includes various data communication networks including a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network (WAN), the Internet, 3G, WIFI, WIBRO, and the like. It can include, wire and wireless, it does not matter which communication scheme is used.

The user terminal 400 is a communication terminal device used by a user to use a web-based broadcasting service. The user terminal 400 accesses the headend unit 110 or the web / backend unit 120 through the communication network 300 to provide various information and data. Give and take. In particular, the user terminal 400 according to the present invention transmits the broadcast content viewing information of the user to the web / back end unit 120. In addition, the user terminal 400 is a web browser for checking the organization information of the real time broadcast content, a DRM agent for decrypting the encrypted real time broadcast content, and a P2P agent for exchanging real time broadcast content with another user terminal in a P2P streaming manner. And the like. The user terminal 400 may be a desktop computer as well as a laptop computer, a workstation, a palmtop computer, an ultra mobile personal computer, a tablet PC, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a web pad, a mobile phone. It may be made of a terminal having a computing capability by mounting a microprocessor such as a smart phone and the like.

The manager terminal 500 is a communication terminal device used by a system administrator for management of a web-based broadcast service. The manager terminal 500 is directly connected to the web-based broadcast service system 100 or connected through a communication network 300 to exchange various information and data. can do.

Next, the head end unit 110 according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the head end of FIG. 1 in more detail.

Referring to FIG. 2, the head end unit 110 may include an encoder unit 111, a streaming server 113, a P2P server 115, a DRM server 117, and a VoD server 119.

The encoder 111 performs a function of encoding real-time broadcast content provided from the broadcast content provider 200 into a form suitable for various transmission environments and user terminal types by applying a multi-profile. In more detail, the single-format real-time broadcast content provided from the broadcast content provider 200 may be encoded with a codec, a resolution, and a bit rate suitable for each transmission environment and user terminal type. Meanwhile, the encoder 111 may include a plurality of encoders (not shown) in order to simultaneously encode in parallel a plurality of broadcast contents provided from the broadcast content provider 200 at the same time.

The streaming server 113 performs a function of streaming the broadcast content encoded by the encoder unit 111 to the user terminal 400 through the communication network 300. In more detail, the streaming server 113 may provide live adaptive streaming that automatically detects network conditions and performance environments of user terminals and transmits content at the most suitable bit rate.

The P2P server 115 stores various information and data for P2P streaming and provides the same to the user terminal 400. For example, P2P streaming connects the user terminals 400 to each other in a net or tree form so that they can be transmitted from other user terminals 400 instead of being directly streamed from the streaming server 113. To this end, the P2P server 115 may provide information on which user terminal 400 can receive the broadcast content. This can prevent excessive concentration of load on the streaming server 115.

The DRM server 117 performs a function of applying digital rights management (DRM) to broadcast content. In more detail, the DRM server 117 generates an encryption key to encrypt broadcast content. The user terminal 400 may decrypt the broadcast content that is encrypted and streamed using a DRM agent (not shown).

The VoD server 119 performs a function of streaming the broadcast content requested by the user terminal 400. In particular, the VoD server 119 according to the present invention may provide the broadcast content to the user terminal 400 again from the point of time when the viewing of the broadcast content is stopped when the user terminal 400 requests the subsequent viewing.

In addition, the VoD server 119 immediately stores the real-time broadcast content provided from the broadcast content provider 200 in the VoD server 119 while encoding the encoder 111, and at the request of the user terminal 400, the streaming server ( 113) can be streamed. As a result, the user may stop the screen by using a time shift function while watching the real-time broadcast content, continue the video later, or return to a desired time point. Conventionally, an additional storage capacity is required for the user terminal. However, in the present invention, since the broadcast content is recorded in real time on the VoD server 119, the storage capacity for the time shift function is not additionally required for the user terminal. On the other hand, after the live broadcast can be provided to the stored broadcast content to the user, like a conventional VoD service.

In the present embodiment, the VoD server 119 stores the VOD file and streams it to the user terminal 400 through the streaming server 113, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The VoD server 119 stores the file. Including the streaming function may be directly streamed to the user terminal 400 without going through the streaming server 113 separately. That is, the VoD server 119 and the streaming server 113 may be implemented as one or may be implemented separately.

3 is a block diagram illustrating in more detail the web / back end of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 3, the web / back end unit 120 may include a web server 121, a database unit 123, and a management server 125.

The web server 121 provides a web page related to a web-based broadcast service to the user terminal 400. The user may perform membership registration, user authentication, broadcasting program information checking, broadcasting content selection, and bill payment through a web page provided by the web server 121.

In particular, according to the present invention, when the user selects the view of the broadcast content previously watched and requests the web server 121, the user may view it again from the previous viewing stop point. To this end, the web server 121 may receive broadcast viewing information from the user terminal 400 and store it in the database unit 123.

In addition, when the user who was watching the broadcast content from another user terminal accesses the web server 121 as a new user terminal, the web server 121 may transmit information about the new user terminal to the VoD server 119 or the streaming server 113. The headend unit 110 may transmit the information on the broadcast content being watched to transmit the broadcast content being watched by the user to the new user terminal. If the broadcast content being viewed is VoD content, the corresponding information may be transmitted to the streaming server 113 if the broadcast content is a VoD server 119.

The database unit 123 stores various types of information related to broadcast programming information, member information, payment information, broadcast schedule management information, broadcast viewing information, and the like. In particular, the broadcast viewing information according to the present invention may be stored in a list for each user. For example, when there are a plurality of contents that are interrupted in the middle of the broadcast contents viewed by the user, a list including IDs of the corresponding broadcast contents and the viewing stop points may be generated for each user. Meanwhile, the broadcast schedule information may be automatically generated and stored based on the electronic program guide information, and modified by the system administrator. For example, some of the contents broadcast in real time from terrestrial broadcasting stations may not be serviced on the Internet due to copyright or the like. In this case, the system manager may delete the corresponding portion from the broadcast schedule information and may not be provided to the user in the headend unit 110.

The management server 125 may control and manage the overall operation of the web-based broadcast service system 100 according to the command and setting of the manager terminal 500.

4 and 5 will be described in the broadcast preview service method according to the present invention.

4 is a flowchart provided to explain a broadcast rehearsal service method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, first, when a user requests viewing of broadcast content from the web server 121 through the first user terminal 400a (S410), the user terminal information and broadcast content information are delivered to the headend 110. (S420). When the broadcast content is real time broadcast content, the user terminal information and broadcast content information may be delivered to the streaming server 113, and when the broadcast content is VoD broadcast content, the broadcast content may be transmitted to the VoD server 119. Then, the headend unit 110 transmits the broadcast content to the first user terminal 400a (S430). According to an exemplary embodiment, in step S420, the web server 121 may provide information about the streaming server 113 or the VoD server 119 that provides the corresponding broadcast content to the user terminal 400 so as to receive the broadcast content requested by the user. Access information may be provided, and the user terminal 400a may access the streaming server 113 or the VoD server 119 by using the access information received from the web server 121 and receive the broadcast content.

After the broadcast viewing is stopped in the middle, the first user terminal 400a transmits the broadcast viewing information including the user ID, the broadcast content ID, and the viewing stop point to the web server 121 (S440). Then, the web server 121 stores the broadcast viewing information in the database unit 123 (S450).

Thereafter, when the user accesses the web server 121 with the second user terminal 400b using the same ID as the user ID of the first user terminal 400a and requests a subsequent viewing of the broadcast content previously viewed (S460) The web server 121 transmits the broadcast content viewing information and the information about the second user terminal 400b to the VoD server 119 with reference to the database unit 123 (S470).

Next, the VoD server 119 transmits and broadcasts the broadcast content to the second user terminal 400b from the point in time at which viewing of the broadcast content is stopped (S480).

5 is a flowchart provided to explain a broadcast rehearsal service method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5, first, when a user requests viewing of broadcast content from the web server 121 through the first user terminal 400a (S510), the web server 121 transmits the user terminal information to the headend unit 110. And broadcast content information (S520). When the broadcast content is real time broadcast content, the user terminal information and broadcast content information may be delivered to the streaming server 113, and when the broadcast content is VoD broadcast content, the broadcast content may be transmitted to the VoD server 119.

Then, the head end unit 110 transmits the broadcast content to the first user terminal 400a so as to be reproduced (S530).

Thereafter, when the user accesses the web server 121 through the second user terminal 400b (S540), the web server 121 may provide the headend unit 110 to the headend unit 110 when the user is connected to another user terminal to watch the broadcast. 2 The user terminal 400b and the broadcast content information are transmitted (S550). Step S550 may be performed when the user ID of the first user terminal 400a and the user ID of the second user terminal 400b are the same.

Then, the headend unit 110 stops transmitting the broadcast content to the first user terminal 400a (S560), and subsequently transmits the broadcast content that was being transmitted to the first user terminal 400a to the second user terminal 400b. To be reproduced (S570). According to an exemplary embodiment, the broadcast content transmission stop point of the first user terminal 400a may be delayed a predetermined time later than the broadcast content transmission start point of the second user terminal 400b. Accordingly, it is possible to support the user to continuously watch seamless broadcast content more safely between the first user terminal 400a and the second user terminal 400b.

Next, a web-based broadcast service method according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 6.

6 is a flowchart provided to explain a web-based broadcast service method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, first, the management server 125 generates broadcast programming information based on an electronic program guide (EPG) provided from the broadcast content provider 200 and stores it in the database unit 123 ( S610). In operation S610, management such as modification or deletion of broadcast programming information may be performed to the system manager.

The user may access the web server 121 through the user terminal 400 and check broadcast programming information (S620). The web server 121 provides a broadcast schedule as shown in FIG. 7 so that a user can check the broadcast schedule information. When the user selects a specific broadcast content, a column 630 including detailed information of the broadcast content is displayed between the channel 610 and the channel 620 as shown in FIG. 8 so that the user can check the content. . According to an embodiment, the broadcasting schedule information may be provided in a form different from those illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, and may be implemented to show content currently being broadcast by genre as illustrated in FIG. 9.

Then, when the user selects the broadcast view (S630-Y), the streaming server 113 is provided in real time from the broadcast content provider 200 and the corresponding broadcast content encoded in a form suitable for the transmission environment and the user terminal model of the user terminal ( 400) (S640). According to an embodiment, the user terminal 400 checks information on another user terminal capable of streaming the corresponding broadcast content from the P2P server 115 instead of the streaming server 113, and receives the broadcast content from the user terminal. It may be.

If necessary, in step S640, the DRM server 117 may encrypt the broadcast content and use the licensed user to decrypt and use the broadcast content by using a DRM agent.

On the other hand, if the user selects a time shift function while viewing the broadcast content (S650-Y), the user may stream the broadcast content through the VoD server 119 from the desired time point (S670).

Finally, when the streaming of the entire broadcast content is completed, the broadcast ends (S660, S680). According to an exemplary embodiment, after steps S660 and S680, the currently broadcast real-time broadcast content of a broadcast channel corresponding to the broadcast content may be immediately streamed.

Embodiments of the present invention include a computer-readable medium having program instructions for performing various computer-implemented operations. This medium records a program for executing the broadcast preview service method described above. The medium may include program instructions, data files, data structures, etc., alone or in combination. Examples of such media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks and magnetic tape, optical recording media such as CD and DVD, programmed instructions such as floptical disk and magneto-optical media, ROM, RAM, And a hardware device configured to store and execute the program. Or such medium may be a transmission medium, such as optical or metal lines, waveguides, etc., including a carrier wave that transmits a signal specifying a program command, data structure, or the like. Examples of program instructions include not only machine code generated by a compiler, but also high-level language code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter or the like.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and improvements of those skilled in the art using the basic concepts of the present invention defined in the following claims are also provided. It belongs to the scope of rights.

Claims (8)

Providing, by the web server, broadcasting schedule information on the real-time broadcasting content currently being broadcast to the first user terminal;
Receiving, by the web server, a viewing request for real-time broadcasting content from the first user terminal;
Streaming the streaming requested video content to the first user terminal by the streaming server;
Receiving, by the web server, broadcasting content viewing information including a viewing stop time, a user ID, and a broadcasting content ID from a first user terminal receiving the real-time broadcasting content;
Receiving, by the web server, a subsequent request for real-time broadcast content corresponding to the broadcast content ID from a second user terminal connected with the same user ID as the first user terminal, and
If the broadcast content requested for subsequent viewing is currently being broadcasted, a voice broadcasting (VoD) server for recording real-time broadcasting content in real time and transmitting the requested live broadcasting content to the second user terminal from the time at which the viewing stops; Broadcast rehearsal service method comprising a. delete delete delete delete delete A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for executing the method of claim 1 on a computer. VOD server to record live broadcast content in real time,
A web server providing broadcast programming information on the real time broadcast content currently being broadcast to a first user terminal and receiving a viewing request for the real time broadcast content from the first user terminal;
A streaming server streaming the real-time broadcasting content requested to watch from the first user terminal to the first user terminal,
The web server receives the broadcast content viewing information including the viewing stop time, the user ID and the broadcast content ID of the real-time broadcast content streamed from the streaming server, the first user terminal from the first user terminal,
The web server receives a request for resuming live broadcast content corresponding to the broadcast content ID from a second user terminal connected with the same user ID as the first user terminal.
When the broadcast content requested for subsequent viewing is currently being broadcast, the VoD server transmits the requested real time broadcasting content to the second user terminal from the time when the viewing stops. Service system.

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